A huge crowd turned out to view the art, interact with the artists and enjoy the evening’s entertainment.

Art Show provides inspiration and entertainment

The fourth annual Art Show for B.C. Artists with Developmental Disabilities was held on October 16 at Heritage Hall in Vancouver. It showcased the work of artists with developmental disabilities from around the province and also served as a way to celebrate Community Living Month.

This event is hosted by the Mainstream Association of Proactive Community Living and gives the public an opportunity to see the work of artists from around the province and meet the artists themselves. More importantly, it allows the artists to show off their talents and creative vision through the many pieces of art on display.

During the evening, there were over 350 pieces of art on display, as well as musical performance, prizes and food and drinks.

The event drew a huge crowd to the venue in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. It received a lot of publicity with post card invitations sent to various businesses in the neighbourhood, an announcement on Facebook and in local community papers, and invites to CLBC offices, members of Parliament and anyone else who might have been interested. In fact, the event has grown so much that organizers are looking for a larger venue for next year.

“Many of the artists attended the show and stood proudly by their artwork. You can see it on their faces with their beaming smiles. This gives people the opportunity to meet the artists first hand and hear about how the pieces were created,” says Arran Henn, Master of Ceremonies for the Art Show and Global Television weather personality. 

Henn has been the MC for the past three years and is extremely proud and honoured to be involved with the event. Among her many tasks are welcoming the crowd, introducing the musicians, interviewing the artists and giving away fantastic raffle prizes to make it a really enjoyable night.

“The artists display a great sense of pride in their art. This evening is an event for them. Everything we do is geared towards the artists and ensuring they are recognized for the bold faith they show in displaying their art for the public to view. Art is personal and in that, we believe it takes a lot of courage and bravery to put your work on display. Watching the artists interact with the public and discuss their works is a pleasure and the keen sense of interest the public takes is just as great,” says Henn.

The event promotes awareness and equality for people with disabilities and allows the public to recognize the talent that is out there. It is also an opportunity for the artists to meet each other and engage with the community.

“I believe it enhances the lives of the people we serve. I believe it gives the community a glimpse of the ‘abilities’ that people with disabilities have and how they can be contributors to their community on a scale most people wouldn’t think or conceive of,” says Don Devries, the co-chair of this year’s event and also event organizer for the past three years.

Not only did the artists get to show their work, many of them sold pieces to the hundreds of guests in attendance.

 “Artists receive 100 per cent of their sales. The show is always a success when you consider the look of pride on the faces of the artists. They sit by their art and speak with people coming in and out of the venue. It’s a great opportunity for inclusion which is why we host the show in conjunction with Community Living month in October,” says Devries.

One of the artists at the show, Ray Tai, was recently accepted into the Emily Carr University of Art and Design. This is a proud achievement for him and his family and an inspiration for other people with developmental disabilities.

“I felt very proud of my work as it gave me a sense of recognition since I worked so very hard. But I felt very nervous on the stage,” says Tai.

He uses pastel colors and then paints on top of the paper to complete his paintings. “I draw whatever I see that comes into my mind,” says Tai.

For the second year in a row, Tai will produce the Christmas card for 2010 Legacies Now, an organization that is dedicated to strengthening arts, literacy, sport and recreation, physical activity and volunteerism in communities throughout BC leading up to and beyond the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This experience is an opportunity for Tai to further his artistic abilities and will give him more knowledge of the art industry.

For more information on the Art Show and to see a gallery of photos taken at the event, please visit Mainstream Association for Proactive Community Living’s website at www.mapcl.org.